Poprocks
by celelorial
Summary: The day they served waffles at breakfast, a new girl catches someone's undivided attention.


Harry woke up to a heavy rain pattering against the window's in the fifth year boy's dormitory, dark gray storm clouds rolling across the sky. He moaned and turned over, shutting his eyes, trying for a few more seconds of sleep, before he began his first day as a fifth year.

"Perfect," muttered Ron sleepily nearby. His flaming hair was jutting out at odd angles as he fumbled around trying to find a pair of socks. Harry decided to throw himself out of bed and get ready too. He could hardly sleep with the loud rumbles of thunder anyway.

After they'd made themselves presentable and finally managed to stumble downstairs to the common room, almost everyone in Gryffindor was standing around in groups, chatting excitedly. They scanned the crowd for Hermione's bushy head (as they couldn't see Chloe, due to her small stature), and found them standing with Fred and George and mostly other Gryffindor fifth years.

Chloe's brown eyes were shining and she seemed to be positively radiating excitement. She was talking animatedly to Fred and George about some sort of muggle popping candy and was letting them sample some, when Harry heard Lavender whisper loudly to Parvati something to the extent of how strange American girls were. Parvati nodded and they left the group, heading down to breakfast. Ron frowned as some of the excitement dimmed in Chloe's eyes as she quickly put away the candy.

But the round eyes lit up as soon as she saw Harry and Ron making their way over, and all but hopped up and down on the balls of her feet in an attempt to make herself be seen and wave hello. Harry chuckled as the Weasley's smiled and shook their heads at the rather short girl, who turned and playfully punched George.

Together, the whole group of them made their way to breakfast, chatting happily the whole time. During a delicious breakfast of thick waffles and sausages, they compared their class schedules and were moaning over double potions with the Slytherins when none other than Draco Malfoy flanked by his usual body guards made his way to their table.

"Having a nice _little _breakfast are you?" he asked Chloe, who tried to ignore him and quickly ate bits of waffle angrily, refusing to look at Malfoy who was standing right behind her.

"Leave er alone, Malfoy," snarled Ron through a mouthful of sausage, Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors glaring.

"Oh, defending the little yank scum, are we Weasley? Just like you, when I thought you couldn't possibly get any lower " Ron had turned a violent shade of pink.

"You know, you really should be more careful around _her _kind. I hear they don't bathe much really filthy," said Malfoy, "wouldn't want you to catch any more diseases than you probably already have " He looked Chloe and Ron up and down slowly, laughing nastily.

"You pervert!," hissed Hermione as Chloe sat there looking as murderous as she could with her mouth full, aparently she'd forgotten to keep chewing and swallow.

But Ron had leapt to his feet and had to be held back by Seamus and Dean.

"Oh let him try boys. What? Don't think he's up to the challenge?"

Chloe had had enough. She took one large swallow, and without warning she threw down her silver ware and plate with a loud clatter and stood up so abrubtly to face Malfoy, that Neville and Hermione, who'd been sitting next to her, nearly fell off the wobbling bench as she yelled, "Well if he's not I am, you rotten–" But before she could go on she doubled over in fit of giggles. The look on Malfoy's face was priceless–he had jumped back and was looking at her wide eyed for a moment, shielding his face. The rest of the hall errupted in laughter, though none as loud as Gryffindor, as Malfoy fought to compose himself, his usually pale face a little more pink than usual.

"And I thought you were ugly before I saw that face," he managed, wiping the smile of Chloe's face. "I-if you think I'm ugly now, than it's _nothing _compared to how you look every day, you and the slytherins!"

Draco gave them all a very frightening smile, and noticing that the teacher's were now watching him, he seized Neville's fork and took a large bite of waffle, then spit on his plate, and left with a final smirk. "Thanks, Longbottom."

Chloe yelled the best she could think of on the spot: "I hope you choke Malfoy!," watching him, his black robes billowing out behind him, as he turned and gave her a final smile and added, "See you in potions Dobbins."

"I can hardly wait," muttered Chloe to her half eaten breakfast.

The rest of the day passed without great event, unless you count Ron being bitten by a hideous little shrunklepuff, and Chloe enjoying all the lessons almost as much as Hermione. Her mood had improved considerably since breakfast, as they were now making their way down the damp, cold stone steps to the dungeon.

She and Seamus were secretly laughing about the shrunklepuff incident, with Ron walking next to them not looking happy at all. They were just reliving the look on Hagrid's face when Chloe flew half way down the stairs and landed with a loud thump on her behind.

"Ouch!," she said, getting gingerly to her feet and rubbing it, causing several Gryffindors to laugh, when out of the shadows came Pansy Parkinson and her gang of Slytherin girls, laughing cheerfully.

"What's wrong honey?," asked Pansy in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Already picking up bad habits from Weasley?," looking at Ron's oversized shoes, causing the Slytherins a round of laughter. "That cow!," said Ron loudly.

"Well aren't you just clever?," muttered Hermione helping the shaky girl to her feet, who smiled at her gratefully. Personally, Harry felt like giving Pansy a swift kick, and probably would've if she hadn't been a girl

"What's going on out here?," asked a deadly quiet voice. They all looked up to see the sallow skinned potions professor starring at them quizically, even though they were sure he knew what had happened. Greasy black strands of hair fell in his face as his eyes rested on Chloe who smiled weakly up at him from where she was still picking up parchment from the floor.

"Ahhhh. So we meet at last, Ms. Dobbins," he said softly, "I've heard so much about you already." His lip curled, sending shivers down her spine as she looked up at him, intimadated already.

"Was it you who caused this disturbance?"

Ron was growling, and Neville was scowling looking pouty, causing the Slytherin girls to giggle shrilly. "Yes, sir," answered Chloe, "I _"fell." _She was glaring at Pansy, who smiled back raising an eyebrow.

Snape chose to ignore this, ushering them all into the classroom quite rudely.

"I like him already," she whispered to Harry, who just laughed, knowlingly.

"You'll like' him a lot more Chlo."

The Lesson had been going quite well, considering how it had started. Harry and Chloe had sat together and were having a great laugh turning everything Snape said into something he couldn't have ever meant, despite Hermione's warning glances.

Snape, being especially pissy that day for some reason or other, had had enough of the snickering going on in the back of the classroom and fixed them with such a glare with his cold black eyes they shivered, and then began to laugh all over again, inspite of themselves, and much to the amusement of their friends.

Trying desperately to stop, Harry began punching his leg while Chloe stepped on her foot, they were both nearly crying and gasping for breath. Harry couldn't remember having this good of a time in awhile. She was alright, Chloe.

Snape had continued to glare at them menacingly, which really wasn't helping as everything he did that day seemed quite funny. "I don't recall potions instructions being quite so amusing," said Snape, his eyes flicking hatefully to Harry, "Potter,- or wait, I have a better idea–, as you seem to be having a great deal of difficulty acting your age, please take your things and join Mr. Malfoy at his table."

It was her turn to look murderous, and Harry wasn't too happy either, having Goyle come seat his large bulk next to him, though he felt worse for Chloe. Snape's lip curled once more as Chloe sat down heavily by Malfoy, who plugged his nose quite obviously.

Ron gave her look of deep pity and she sighed, beginning to cut up her ingredients, which resembled soggy mold infested bluish-purple celery and was called bogg weed. At least they didn't have to work as partners, and Snape had forbidden any noise, so at least Malfoy couldn't verbally insult her. They were preparing a shrinking potion and next to her Draco was hacking up his ingredients loudly.

Trying to think of something pleasant, Chloe let her mind wander, but in a few minutes she snapped out of it, with a sharp yelp and blinding pain. Malfoy had accidently' cut her finger with his sharp knife. The cut wasn't deep, but it was bleeding and stung painfully. He opened his eyes wide, prentending to look shocked and mouthed sorry, before laughing softly and winking at Crabbe who smiled back, resembling a cheerful slug.

Chloe couldn't contain herself, as it was now oozing. "My butt you're sorry!," she said louder than she meant to kicking Draco in the shin. Every head in the classroom snapped up and Seamus and Sean snorted loudly, though several Gryffindors looked livid upon seeing the cut.

Snape looked apalled. "Ms. Dobbins, if you would kindly refrain from using such expressions, I hardly need to picture such things " the Slytherins chortled, Malfoy still hopping up and down clutching his leg. "I see you have a problem with needing attention, much like your friend Potter, but I do not tolerate this type of behavior. You will have a weeks worth of detention and if I have thought of a more suitable punishment it too will be added onto your punishment. Now continue working."

"But proffesor!," squeaked Lavender Brown who was feeling much more kindly toward Chloe after seeing the cut "she–"

"I said back to work NOW!," roared Snape, causing them all the snap back to work, and he went back to reading his paper.

Chloe's finger was stinging worse than ever, and her eyes were watering as the salty bogg weed juice seeped into the cut, causing it to sting worse than ever. Malfoy chuckled softly and she had to fight the urge not to kick him again. Because she had a better idea.

At the end of class they were all going to have to test their potion on themselves, but as it took fifteen minutes to brew, they had fifteen minutes to do whatever they wanted, so long as it didn't involve enjoying themselves in anyway.

Malfoy had his Dark Arts book open and was reading about various impalings. Chloe was trying to open a package of fizzing Pop Rocks as quietly as possible. She had a plan to get Malfoy back. At five minutes to when they would test they're potions, they were instructed to stir them, until they turned a deep pinkish color.

When Malfoy pretended to faint from Chloe's smell and miming it to the Slytherins while still stirring, she took her chance and slipped the Pop Rocks into his cauldron while no one was looking.

All of a sudden the potion seethed and fizzed, the sound growing louder and louder, everyone watching Draco as he looked at his potion, horrified. It began to bubble and froth, and then began spiting potion everywhere with loud hisses and bangs until, with one almighty pop the potion threw itself onto Draco, covering him in a murky brown solution.

Snape had already run over and whipped out his wand before Malfoy could shrink.

"Well, it _does _look rather deep pink proffesor!," yelled Seamus Finnigan pointing at Malfoy, who was a rather deep shade, laughing. The rest of the Gryffindors joined in.

"Ms. Dobbins," said Snape tersely, turning red as well "you will stay after class. I need to have a word with you."

"Sure, proffesor," said Chloe, looking extremely cheerful as she stirred her own potion. Draco had been staring at Chloe the whole time, looking ready to kill.

For the first time anyone could remember, Snape dismissed the class early, and Chloe made her way to Snape's desk nervously, knowing she would get what she would deserve, but it would be worth it. After a few encouraging thumbs up and reassuring smiles from Gryffindors she felt more confident as she watched students leave.

Malfoy was the last to go, looking absolutely livid, as he stood and caught Chloe's eye, holding them in a deadly glare and mouthing, "You."

She just smiled back cheerfully mouthing "Me," right on back, thinking joyfully, "ooh, if thoughts could kill."


End file.
